Pellet projecting toy gun



Feb. 20, 1951 B. C. LOEW PELLET PROJECTING TOY GUN Filed April l22, 194e Patented F eb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PELLET PROJECTING TOY GUN Burl C. Loew, New Era, Mich.

Application April 22, 1946, Serial No. 664,070

Claims. (Cl. 124-15) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a pellet projecting toy gun of the pistol type and it is an object of the present in- .vention to provide a toy gun which will have barrel and so arranged and constructed that it l may be inserted into a soft article such as a potato or the like to ll the pellet receiving portion and break olf the necessary amount of the article into which inserted so that the portion of article inserted therein may be used as a pellet to be propelled by the gun.

Another obj'ect of the invention is the provision in a toy gun of this class of a barrel having a reenforced cylinder forming portion to provide a substantially air tight construction open at one end'and in which a piston is adapted to reciprocate.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modications and changes may be made in the detail of structure illustrated without departing from the invention itself and it is intended that such variations and changes shall be encompassed within the scope of the claims which form a part hereof.

Forming a part of this specication are drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a central, longitudinal, vertical, sectional view of the invention with parts broken away and parts shown in section and parts shown in side elevation,

Fig. 2 is a central, vertical, sectional view in fragment showing parts illustrated in Fig. 1 but in a different position,

Fig. 3 is a slightly enlarged, fragmentary, central sectional view of the end of the barrel,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 55 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 1,

n Fig. 'l is a sectional view taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 1.

The main body of the gun is preferably formed from a metal stamping and composed of two complementary parts which, when brought into registration and secured together in any desirable manner, will form a composite body. The structure embodies a barrel l2, a body Ill and a gripping portion I3. The body I4 is provided with side walls I5 and I6 and positioned within the body portion and engaging the side walls l5 and I 6, are the plates ll and I8 which are connected together at their opposite ends to provide the end plates I9 and 2t. Punched outwardly from the end plate 2U is a tongue 2l and engaging in this punched out tongue is one end 22 of a spring the opposite end 23 of which bears against a dog 24 rockably mounted on the end of the cooking lever 25 which is pivoted by means of the pin 26 to the plates Il and I3. Formed in the walls I9 and 20 are registering openings 2l and 28 each of which has an inwardly projecting guide sleeve surrounding'the same as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Slidably projected through these openings 2l and 23 is a Arod 29 which has two sets of notches 30 and 3l formed therein. A coil spring 32 is connected at one end to one of the plates Il or I 8 and at the opposite end to the lower end of the lever 25. Pivotally mounted on the pin 33 is a dog or pawl 34 one end of which is adapted to engage in the notches 30 and the other end of which may be engaged by the nose All of the trigger 39 which is pivotally mounted on the pin 38. An abutment plate 4! is mounted on the plate i3 to serve as an abutment and prevent rocking of the trigger 39 beyond a predetermined distance in one direction.

Positionedin the barrel I2 is a coil spring 42 one end of which bears against the plate lil and the other end of which bears against a piston d3 which is ixedly mounted on the rod 29. This piston 43 snugly engages in a cylinder 44 which is cup shaped and positioned in the barrel l2 adjacent the end thereof. This barrel is provided with the internal groove 45 in'which engages the outwardly turned flange Mi on the open end of the cup-shaped cylinder 44. The base of this cupshaped cylinder is pressed outwardly to provide the tubular extension A1 and pressed into this tubular extension 41 is a bushing having the constricted passage 59 formed therethrough. A lug is pressed upwardly on the end of the barrel to provide a sight.

In loading the device any suitable pellet may be positioned in the pellet receiving tube lll. In the drawings, however, I have illustrated this tube 4l inserted into a potato 5l. When this tube 41 is inserted into a potato 5I and slightly tilted the portion of the potato which is engaged within the tube 41 will break off and this portion will serve as a pellet to be propelled.

The cooking lever 25 is moved from the position shown in Fig. l to the right. The lever swings on the pin 26 as a pvot and the pawl will be pressed upwardly by spring 23 to engage in one of the notches 3l. As this movement continues tuward` the fnlk line position of the lever 2'5 as shownV in Fig. 2 the rod 29 will be drawn inwardly rearwardly of the gun, that is to the left in Fig. 1 and as the notches '39 ride over theA pawl or dog 3i this pawl or dog 34` will snap into the notches 3G, the throw of the lever 2'5 being such that with each operation the paw/l 3dr ride over one or more notches. 30. When the lever 25 is rocked to the right of Fig. I a distance sufficient to move the rod 29 to a position, at. which the dog 34 may.A engage in notch 30, the lever Z maytherr be rocked' to the position shown Fig; l2 and the 216V, will. have engaged the dog 2% and moved it out of engagement with the; notches` 3L asa shownin Fig; l,` thus leaving the rod- 29; free for movement to the right upon disengagement of thedog '-Siy from the notches 393;. When- 'the pressure toward the forward. end e-f the gun on the lever 251 i-s.- released the spring 3% will s--rve to restore the: lever 25 tothe, dotted lin-e position sho-wn in' Fig 2 or the full. line position show-ninFig. l. The dog or paWl will, however, prevent the: rod 29l from moving outwardly orto' title` right ofi the figure.- in response.l to the compress-ion of. the; spring; iii. By repeating this action thepawl Sdmay bebroughtintoa succeedingnotch; 3d te again. move the. rod- 29`r so.Y as to further compress the spring 52.. Thusthe spring may be compressed te. various. degrees. The gun should preferably be cocked before a pellet is engaged in the tube 41e. After the gun has been cocked and the pellet is engaged in the tube dit the' trigger 3Q,Y may be actuated: toY rock the dog or pawll 3d: out ot engagement with the, notch 3i?? whereupnn. the piston it will move rapidly in the. cylinder 44. to compress the air and through the; compressed air` iiorce the pellet outof: the pellet receiving tube dit.. It, is obvious that this speed ci movement-of the piston 43 will be varied depending upon the. amountr ot compressionof the spring and Vthus the' velocity of the pellet ask it.- leaves the" tube 4l maybe varied. Experience hasshown that, a toy gunV of this type is quite interesting andr attractive to a; child and that the peliet, when. propelled from the tube 4l, will travel several. yards with` a iair degree; of accuracy during the irst. portion of` its: travel. By using ay potato. or some other vegetable. as a means for providing the pellets; a toy gun. which be reconomically operatedis'prov-ided and. one for which the child may easily obtain.I ther desired ammunition Experience has also shown, that the gun so constructed and arrangedisonewhich is durable and capable of withstanding., the rough usage, to which a child' sub-jects a, toy while at the same time. they gun is;L suiciently light. and easy. tohandle.

What claim, as new is.:

1. A toy' or the class described, comprising: a barrel; acylinder portion in said barrel and' closed at. one' endl and havingan opening formed through said closed end; apiston-slidably mounted in said cylinder; a spring for normally urging. said piston toward said closedy end; a piston rod:` connected to said piston; a plurality of notches on said piston rod; arocliablelever;J a dog carried by said lever and adapted, upon rocking of said lever in one direction, for engaging in one of said notches and adapted, upon rocking of said lever subsequent to engagement in said notches, for moving said piston rod longitudinally to retract said piston against the compression of said spring, said piston rod having a second set of a plurality of notches; a latch mechanism for successively engaging in said second set of notches and securing said piston against movement from retracted position and a trigger on said gun engageable with and adapted for releasing said latching mechanism.

2'.` A toy gun of the class described, comprising: a barrel; a cylinder portion on said barrel closed at one end and having an opening formed throughsaidclosed end; a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder; a piston rod connected to sai'dpiston; a spring for normally urging said piston towards said closed end of said cylinder; means; for moving said. piston rod longitudinally in step by step movement to retract; said piston againstA the compression or said spring; and; a latch mechanism ior' engaging saidr piston rod. in the step by' step movement and preventing return of the same; and a trigger engageable with and operable for releasing saidv latch mechanism at of said steps;

3. a toy gun of the class:V described, compris.- ing :a a barre-l; a. cylinder, portion on said barrel having a closed, end and provided with an, opening through said end; a tube; projecting out,- wardly from the closed end; oiSa-id cylinderL and communicating with theintcrior` thereof; through said opening; av piston slidablyf mounted in said cylinder; a. pistonrod connected to said` piston; a spring embracing said piston rod and normally urging; said; piston-- toward said closed end, said pistonY bei-ng retractable; from.; said closed end against. the compression o said spring; means for retractirrg said: piston-v various distances from said closed' end.; releasable latch. means for securing said piston in various retracted positions; and a trigger on.V said` gun engageable with and operable for releasing said securing means at any oi` said? positions.. Y

4. A toy gun or the class described,` comprising: av barrel;I a cylinder portion in. said barrel adjacent one end; a tube projecting outwardly from said cylinder and. communicating with the; interior there@g5 atsaidclosedend; a pistonk slidably mounted in. saidL cylinder; a. spring for. normal-ly urgingsaid pistontoward said closedend; a piston. rod connected tosaid piston andhaving av set ofI a. plurality oi, notches.- icrmedtherein; arockable lever; a, dog; carriedL byvsa-id lever and adapted.. upon rocking; of. said lever in. one. direction, for engaging in one of said notches. and adapted upon rocking o4 said lever in the same'ddrec-tion subsequent. to engagement, oi said. dog in said notches. for moving said piston rod longitudinally to retract said piston against, the compression ot said, spring. said piston rod; having. a. second set. oi a plurality civ notches.; aj latch. `mechanism for successively engaging said, second set oi notches and. securing. said pistonA against.. movement fromr retracted position atvariouspositions ofV its movement; a. trigger on said gun, enga-geable with and operable for releasing said latch mechanism; anda pincarried by said, lever and moveable, upon rocking of said lever in the op.- posite direction a, predetermined distance,` for engaging and moving said dog out of engagemmt with said` piston. rod. Y

5. A toy gun of the class described, compris;r

ing: a barrel; a cylinder portion in said barrel adjacent one end; a tube projecting outwardly from said cylinder and communicating with the interior thereof at said .closed end; a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder; a spring for normally urging said piston toward said closed end; a piston rod connected to said piston and having a set of a plurality of notches formed therein; a rockable lever; a dog carried by said lever and adapted, upon rocking of said lever in one direction, for engaging in one of said notches and adapted upon rocking of said lever in the same direction subsequent to engagement of said dog in said notches for moving said piston rod longitudinally to retract said piston against the compression of said spring, said piston rod having a second set of a plurality of notches; a latch mechanism for successively engaging said second set of notches and securing said piston against movement from retracted position at various positions of its movement; a trigger on said gun engageable with and operable for releasing said latch mechanism; a pin carried by said lever and moveable, upon rocking of said lever in the opposite direction a predetermined distance, for engaging and moving said dog out of engagement with said piston rod; and a spring means normally tending to move said lever in said opposite direction.

BURL C. LOEW.

REFERENCES CITED The follovving references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

